World number one Jannik Sinner has pulled out of the Cincinnati Open, citing a right knee injury that has left him unable to compete at the Masters 1000 tournament in Ohio. The Italian announced his withdrawal on Sunday in a statement posted on the ATP website, saying he had consulted with his doctors before concluding he was not yet fit to play.
"My right knee has been bothering me and even though we have been working hard with my medical team, I have to accept that I'm not ready to compete yet," Sinner said. The 24-year-old added that he is "very disappointed" by the decision but stressed that his focus has now shifted entirely to the US Open, which begins in New York on 30 August. "I can't wait to be back next year," he said of Cincinnati.
The withdrawal marks the second consecutive Masters event Sinner has missed. He also skipped the Montreal Masters — the other major hard-court warm-up event before the US Open — citing the need to "prioritise his health." Sinner had been on a remarkable six-tournament winning streak at Masters 1000 level heading into this North American swing, and claimed his fifth Grand Slam title at Wimbledon last month. He is also the defending champion in Cincinnati, having won the title there in 2024.
Sinner's absence compounds a growing list of high-profile withdrawals from the Cincinnati draw. World number two Carlos Alcaraz, the reigning US Open champion, has also pulled out with a wrist injury. The two top-ranked players on the men's tour are therefore both heading into the year's final Grand Slam without competitive match play on the hard-court surface that defines the US Open.
For the tournament and for tennis fans, the double withdrawal is a significant blow to what are widely regarded as the sport's most important pre-US Open tune-up events. With Sinner and Alcaraz sidelined, the Cincinnati Open field is considerably thinner than anticipated, raising questions about how both players will arrive in New York and whether either can mount a serious title challenge after so much time away from competition.